Matches for "Colin Brown"

Richly-talented harness racing four-year-old Delightful Offer has made a complete recovery from a damaged suspensory ligament and will reappear after a nine-month absence when he contests the Devils Lair Classic Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Greg Bond, who prepares the New Zealand-bred Bettor's Delight gelding in partnership with his wife Skye, said that Delightful Offer would be set for feature summer carnival events, including the rich interdominion championship series in November and December if he remained sound and regained the wonderful form which saw him win at nine of his 12 starts in Western Australia.
“He’s been back in work a fair while and he’s fit and forward and ready to run a good race,” he said. “If he stands up I’ll probably nominate him for the big races. We’ll see what he does in the next month to six weeks and go from there.”
Delightful Offer has been off the scene since finishing fourth behind Run Oneover and Beaudiene Boaz in a listed classic for four-year-olds at Pinjarra on November 9 last year.
He had won at his six previous starts, including victory in the group 3 Higgins Memorial at Gloucester Park when he finished second behind Another Vinnie after a torrid run in the breeze and then being severely checked 250m from home when his stablemate Condrieu broke in front. Later, Delightful Offer was awarded the race after Another Vinnie was disqualified.
Delightful Offer, to be driven by Colin Brown, is unlikely to have things all his own way on Friday night when he will have to overcome the awkward drawn at No. 5 on the front line.
The unfancied Bettor Party (who has a losing sequence of nine) runs his best races when he leads and Bronson Chabros is likely to attempt to take full advantage of the favourable No. 1 barrier by setting the pace.
Serpentine trainer Gary Hall sen. holds a strong hand in the race, with Ideal Justice (a winner at nine of his 16 starts) and American Boy (a winner at 14 of his 19 starts) sure to be prominent. Gary Hall jun. will drive Ideal Justice from barrier two, with his elder brother Clint in the sulky behind American Boy, who faces a hard task from barrier nine.
Hall sen. said that he was confident that Ideal Justice would run a big race, saying: “He’s getting better with every run.” Ideal Justice was far from disgraced last Friday night when he worked hard without cover and fought on gamely to finish third behind the pacemaker Northern Assassin.
Bond said that it would be wise not to discount the prospects of his second string runner Ima Connoisseur, who has been placed at each of his past four starts.
“He is racing very well and must be considered from the inside of the back line,” he said.
Adding considerable spice to the race will be the return to racing of star mare Libertybelle Midfrew, an M9-class performer who will start out wide at barrier eight with Mark Reed in the sulky.
This will be Libertybelle Midfrew’s first appearance since she finished last in the WA Pacing Cup last January. She is the winner of 16 races and $567,147 in prizemoney and she warmed up for her first-up assignment with a smart trial win at a 1.58.3 rate over 2150m at Byford on Sunday morning. She dashed over the final 400m in 27.9sec. and she was timed at 27.3sec. over the final quarter when second to Smo in a trial a week earlier.
Ken Casellas

Talented New Zealand-bred filly Angel Bromac is on target to emulate her close relative Arma Xpress by proving too speedy for her rivals in the KAI Construction Gold Bracelet over 2130m at Gloucester Park harness racing on Friday night .Arma Xpress set the pace and beat the Kim Prentice-trained and driven Eagle Rox by a half-length in the group 3 Gold Bracelet in 2012.
Prentice also trains and drives Angel Bromac and he has high hopes of making amends for Eagle Rox’s narrow defeat by winning this week’s classic. A convincing victory certainly would tempt Prentice to set Angel Bromac for the rich Golden Slipper the following Friday night.
Arma Xpress completed the Gold Bracelet-Golden Slipper double four years ago, but she suffered a career-ending knee injury 18 months later and had to be retired with a record of 12 wins and one second from 18 starts for stakes of $279,890.
The inexperienced Angel Bromac, owned by Robert Watson, is the first foal out of Falcon Seelster mare Amaretto Bromac, a half-sister to Arma Antoinette, the dam of Arma Xpress.
Angel Bromac’s winning prospects soared when she drew the prized No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s classic. She possesses sparkling gate speed and Prentice is sure to plan for an all-the-way win.
Angel Bromac is the least experienced runner in the field of ten, with only two starts, both at Gloucester Park. She made her debut on May 24 when she dashed to an early lead and went on to win by three lengths from Miss Twiggy Whitby at a 1.57.6 rate over 1730m.
Then, on June 3 she was a 9/1 chance from the outside of the back line in the $100,000 Diamond Classicwhen she mustered great early pace to charge into the breeze after 450m. Prentice then applied considerable pressure on the pacemaker Red Hot Roxy which saw the first two quarters of the final mile whizz by in 28.8sec. and 28.1sec.
Angel Bromac eventually got to the front 440m from home before she was swamped by the fast-finishing Lady Luca in the final 80m and finished a 2m second to that filly, who rated 1.55.6 over the 1730m journey.
The Justin Prentice-trained Lady Luca, who finished boldly from sixth in the one-wide line at the bell, will start from barrier five in this week’s race and cannot be underestimated. However, Maczaffair (barrier three) and Doalittlerocknroll (two) look the toughest for Angel Bromac to beat.
Maczaffair, trained by Mike Reed and to be driven by his son Mark, has excellent gate speed and she has won easily at her past three starts. She impressed at her most recent start, at Gloucester Park last Monday week, when she started from the outside (No. 9) and began fast to race three wide for the first 450m before bursting to the front and going on to win by two and a half lengths from Sarah Goody, rating 1.58.2 over 1730m.
Doalittlerocknroll overcame the disadvantage of starting out wide at barrier eight to win the group 1 $100,000 Westbred Classic last Friday night. A 14/1 chance for trainer-reinsman Justin Prentice, Doalittlerocknroll settled down in eighth place before moving up to third (three wide) at the bell and sustaining her strong burst to overhaul the 5/4 on favourite Red Hot Roxy in the final stages to score by a head.
Beach Goddess, a stablemate of Maczaffair, has raced eight times for four wins and three seconds and will have admirers. She will start from the No. 6 barrier with Colin Brown in the sulky.
Ken Casellas

Smart harness racing youngster Bettor Not Bitter should prove to be the bet of the night at Gloucester Park on Friday evening by proving the master of his 11 older and more experienced opponents in the 2130m Led Goldfields Westbred Pace.
“He’s a nice horse who is being set for the $100,000 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings the following Friday night,” said Forrestdale horseman Greg Bond, who prepares the gelding in partnership with his wife Skye.
Bettor Not Bitter will be driven by Colin Brown and will start from the No. 5 barrier. He has had 15 starts for four wins and five placings and should be too smart for his rivals, who have managed just 55 wins from a combined total of 633 starts.
At his most recent outing Bettor Not Bitter set the pace and finished second to It Aint Royal over 2130m at Gloucester Park on May 27. That followed wins at Narrogin and Bunbury and a fighting second to Mach Time at Gloucester Park after working hard out three wide and then in the breeze.
“He’s had a couple of easy weeks and this will be his tune-up for the Westbred final,” Bond said. “To have a chance of winning that race or if you’re going to be in the cut-up you would like to think that he’s got to be hard to beat this week.
“All’s good at home with him. He had a few runs as a two-year-old and you could see he was going to improve with time. And he has done that. He’s a developing horse who is going to do a nice job.”
Ken Casellas

A dramatic change in his training routine has revitalised Erskine Range and ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown is confident that the six-year-old chestnut can overcome the back mark of 20m and prove the master of his nine harness racing rivals in the Alltools.com.au Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It’s not beyond him to win from there, and though I’ve got respect for several runners in the race, Erskine Range is ready for a strong effort,” Brown said.
“We’ve changed his work right around. We have tried to make him a bit sharper and he’s gone back to trackwork, doing the two one-mile heats (at ten-minute intervals at the Jandakot track). He is working those heats very well and is very keen.
“Previously he has never trackworked; he’s always galloped at the beach or on a sand track. The signs now are very good. He’s doing it very easily and the change seems to have brightened him.”
Erskine Range, who has amassed $245,300 from his 25 wins and 16 placings from 71 starts, is an M5-class pacer and from the 20m mark he meets his M0, M1, M2 and M3 rivals on excellent terms. Under automatic handicapping conditions Erskine Range would start off the 40m mark.
Despite this advantage Erskine Range will meet stiff opposition from smart pacers, including Atlastalone, Major Catastrophe, Simply Susational and Sonic Classic, as well as last-start winner Eminence Grise.
Boyanup trainer said that Atlastalone (10m) should prove to be hard to beat. “He’s in career-best form and I’ve left Brayden (Green) on because he has driven him in outstanding style for wins at his past two starts,” Prentice said. “Those wins were in mobile, but he is good out of a stand. And he worked very well today (Tuesday).”
The David Young-trained Major Catastrophe is a redoubtable stayer who is racing enthusiastically and looks hard to beat. Punters are also likely to rally behind Simply Susational, a winner at 12 of his 36 starts.
Simply Susational, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, reappeared after an absence of nine months when he worked hard without cover and wilted to finish fifth behind Donegal Chokin in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. He won at ten of his previous 16 starts (as a four-year-old) and is most capable of making amends for his first-up unplaced effort.
by Ken Casellas
Fields for Gloucester Park, Friday 18 March 2016
Form guide for Gloucester Park, Friday 18 March 2016

Harness racing veteran Byford trainer Tony Svilicich is renowned for his great success with pacers with an iron constitution and the ability to race for lengthy periods and in several events in a short space of time.
He now declares that hardy 11-year-old Shardons Rocket is “super fit” and is cherry ripe to contest his third race in the space of eight days when he runs in the $23,000 Ray Duffy Memorial over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night - his 250th carreer start.
“Three races in a week is good for him because he’s super fit,” Svilicich said. “In between these runs I do less than nothing with him.
“He has drawn out wide at barrier seven and I will instruct Colin Brown to go forward and attempt to lead. The horse just wants to go, go, go. I’ll tell Colin to try to get to the front because he can run the distance faster than the others.
“If he gets to the front he will win. But if he stays in the breeze and pulls hard, he won’t. That’s his downfall, pulling hard when in the breeze.”
Svilicich was extremely happy with the way Shardons Rocket mustered great early speed from the No. 7 barrier at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon when Brown dashed him to the front after 250m and then, with a wing on every foot, led his rivals on a merry dance and scored a decisive victory over Walter James and Machs A Pearler, rating 1.55.9 over 2692m. After quarters in 29.6sec. and 28.5sec., he dashed over the final sections in 27.9sec. and 29.1sec.
Asked the reasons why Shardons Rocket had recently turned the corner with two wins and a fast-finishing second to Fernleigh Rebel from his past four starts, the wily Svilicich said: “You have to use your head. The secret is to watch what went wrong and then work to correct the problem.”
Before his recent wins Shardons Rocket had a losing sequence of 12 (including just one second and two thirds).
Svilicich shed no light on his recipe for success with old pacers who continued to relish racing and win many races in gruelling campaigns of many successive months of two and three starts a week.
The evergreen Shardons Rocket has raced 249 times for 37 wins and 75 placings for earnings of $514,820 to follow in the footsteps of previous Svilicich iron horses, including Of Auld Aberdeen (279 starts for 40 wins, 63 placings and $235,201), Digger of Fortune (183 starts for 41 wins, 32 placings and $265,063), Demoralizer (186 starts for 26 wins, 49 placings and $358,199), Has The Answers (240 starts for 76 wins, 65 placings and $1,326,582) and Mysta Magical Mach (160 starts for 34 wins, 54 placings and $1,261,371).
A disciple of vitamin supplements and a regimen of driving an old vehicle to chase his pacers around a paddock to keep them fit, Svilicich declares he has no secret or mysterious methods to maintain his remarkable record with veteran pacers who thrive on racing two and three times a week for lengthy periods.
There is little doubt that Shardons Rocket will make a determined bid to set the pace on Friday night, but out-of-form eight-year-old Local Rogue could prove a difficult obstacle from the coveted No. 1 barrier if Chris Voak uses the pacer’s excellent gate speed. The speedy Glenlochar (barrier six) could also challenge for the early lead.
Lisharry, This Time Dylan and El Machine will have admirers. They should appreciate a drop in class after their unplaced efforts in Monday’s Pinjarra Cup.
Ken Casellas
Fields for Gloucester Park, Friday 11 March 2016
Form guide for Gloucester Park, Friday 11 March 2016

With his win at Bunbury last night behind the Greg and Skye Bond trained $51.50 chance Jumbo Jet champion harness racing reinsman Colin Brown brought up his 2800th winner in a career spanning some 39 years. Of that tally 369 have been for the Greg and Skye Bond training partnership.
Brown drove his first winner on 9th October 1976 at the now defunct York track behind a gelding called Go To It which was trained by Brown’s mentor Jim Schrader.
“Jimmy gave us more speeches about life than he did about training and driving although he didn’t always practise what he preached”, Brown said recently.
Schrader never rushed the careers of aspiring young reinsmen and both Brown and Schrader’s son Peter went through three six-month Reinsman’s Schools before they were allowed to apply for their country licence.
“It was a lot harder than it is now. At that time drivers were allowed to push out at anytime in races and there were a host of old-time hard-school drivers out there and they were very good at driving on the margin”, Brown said.
It was almost impossible to hold your position when the likes of a Jim Schrader or Alan Woodworth decided that they wanted to get away from the rails”, he added.
Among Western Australian reinsmen only Chris Lewis (4803) has driven more winners.
While Lewis has won a number of both State and Perth drivers premierships Brown is yet to win such a title with his best efforts being three times runner-up in the Perth Drivers Premiership behind Chris Lewis, Fred Kersley and Trevor Warwick.
Alan Parker

Ace harness racing trainer-reinsman Colin Brown concedes that Calais is a better pacer than his runner Driven, but he is quietly confident that Driven will beat Calais in the 2130m Happy 30th Richie Polak Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Seven-year-old Driven will start from the No. 1 barrier and Brown plans to set the pace, with five-year-old Calais most likely to be given the task of working hard in the breeze after starting from the No. 2 barrier.
Driven, who has managed just one win (when he led from barrier one at Northam six starts ago) from his past 18 starts, had no luck at all when he started out wide at barrier seven in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park last Friday night. He was ninth (and last) at the bell and was blocked for a clear passage in the final circuit when a close-up sixth behind Suspicious Behavia.
“I think that Calais may be a better horse than Driven and in 12 months’ time we’ll see Calais possibly a lot better advanced than Driven,” Brown said. “However, Driven is a very good frontrunner and in front he can run time. This really looks his chance on a Friday night to win a Pathway.
“He’s now in the form to win an M0. All he has to do is draw (favourably). He is no superstar, but he’s well and truly on top of his game.”
Driven, who was a consistent performer at Menangle for Blake Fitzpatrick, was purchased last year by clients of Brown’s stable and made a successful start to his Western Australian career with three wins in Kalgoorlie last November.
Calais, trained and driven in his races by Robbie Williams, shows excellent promise and looks certain to improve dramatically on his record of three wins and seven placings from 16 starts. He had a tough run in the breeze when a fighting second to Ohoka Cooper over 2536m on Tuesday of last week. That followed excellent seconds to Bungalow Bill at his two previous starts.
Adding interest to Friday night’s event will be the appearance of the Ray Williams-trained Three Kings, who will start from barrier four with Nathan Turvey in the sulky. Three Kings resumed after a spell at Kellerberrin on Sunday when he sustained a strong finishing burst to win from Just Jamie over 2530m.
by Ken Casellas
Related Links
Fields for Gloucester Park, Friday 18 September 2015
Form guide for Gloucester Park, Friday 18 September 2015

New Zealand-bred four-year-old My Good Deed is a standing-start specialist and harness racing co-trainer Skye Bond said that the gelding had the ability to bounce back and make amends for poor performances at his past two starts by winning the 2503m Retravision Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is handily drawn at barrier three on the front line and Ryan Warwick will be attempting to get him away smartly in a bid to set the pace.
“He loves the stand and is a good frontrunner,” Mrs Bond said. “He finished down the track at his latest start, but he wasn’t at his best and was suffering from a bit of a virus. His trackwork has been good.”
At his most recent appearance, at Gloucester Park on July 24, he jumped sideways at the start and then met with a check. He raced in ninth position and out three wide in the final circuit before finishing ninth behind The Bucket List. A week earlier he galloped at the start before dashing to the front after 250m, setting the pace and fading to 11th behind Classic American.
But his previous form was hard to fault. He has had 18 starts in Western Australia, all in stands, for ten wins and five seconds.
Greg and Skye Bond will also be represented in Friday night’s race by Barrow Street, who will start out wide on the second line with Colin Brown in the sulky. Barrow Street set the pace and won a 2130m mobile event from the fast-finishing Vertical Street last Friday night after a win at Northam and a second to Phoenix Warrior at Gloucester Park at his two previous starts.
Mrs Bond is also confident in the ability of Jungle Jewel to win the 2130m Garry Ralston Pace for mares. Jungle Jewel finished powerfully to win over 2130m on the past two Friday nights.
“She is one of those horses that it doesn’t matter where she draws,” she said. ””You just need to put her away and she has got that dazzling turn of speed, and she can cover a field very quickly. Her past two runs probably have been the best of her career. The times she has run at her past couple of starts is proof that she can sit on a fast speed and still run on strongly.”
Jungle Jewel’s toughest rival appears to be Ideal Alice, a lightly-raced four-year-old trained by Gary Hall sen. Ideal Alice had a tough run before finishing second to Jungle Jewel last Friday night. She raced three wide in the middle stages before getting to the front at the bell. But she failed to withstand the sizzling late sprint of Jungle Jewel, who came from eighth, four wide, at the 400m mark to burst to the front 10p0m from the post.
by Ken Casellas

The powerful Greg and Skye Bond combination landed a treble at the harness racing meeting at Northam's Burwood Park on Tuesday night to bring up 200 winners for the season and the stable which produced five winners at Gloucester Park last Friday night should again be to the fore on Friday night.
The best of the Bond team's ten runners appears to be Condrieu, with Jungle Jewel, Our Jimmy Johnstone, Barrow Street and Machs A Pearler all having winning prospects.
Condrieu will be attempting to complete a winning hat-trick when Colin Brown drives him from barrier six in the 2130m second heat of the Red Dot Cash Schrader Pace.
Condrieu has revealed sparkling gate speed from wide barriers to set the pace and score impressively on the past two Friday nights.
The Bonds were successful at Northam on Thursday night with Commander Chapel, Zacharia and Kinda Black to improve their record for the 2014-15 season to 200 wins, 138 seconds and 89 thirds from 805 starters.
This puts them in second place on the trainers' premiership table behind Gary Hall sen. whose 845 starters have produced 209 winners, 112 seconds and 93 thirds.
Ken Casellas

Champion reinsman Chris Lewis has given punters a strong lead by opting to drive Lovers Delight in preference to the richly-talented six-year-old Dynamite Dude in the $35,000 Howard Porter Memorial over 2130m at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Lewis has been in the sulky in all of Dynamite Dude's 18 starts in Western Australia for 12 wins, one second, four thirds and a fourth placing.
But he chose to drive the Stephen Reed-trained Lovers Delight for two main reasons --- because the gelding put up a tremendous performance to finish a close second to the brilliant Waylade last Friday night and because he drew much better at barrier four on the front line, with Dynamite Dude out wide at barrier No. 8.
He also considered that Lovers Delight's winning prospects were better, taking into account that he is harder in condition after several excellent runs in his current preparation, whereas Dynamite Dude will be making his first appearance since setting the pace and winning the Autumn Championship from Crombie and Northview Punter on March 6.
Both Lovers Delight and Dynamite Dude are being aimed at the $1.8 million TABtouch interdominion championship series at Gloucester Park and Bunbury in November and December.
Strong performances in the months leading up to the series will enhance their prospects of earning a start in the championship.
The New Zealand-bred Lovers Delight has a 41 per cent winning record (19 wins from 46 starts) as well as recording ten seconds and three thirds.
He was a 24/1 chance in a 2536m mobile event last Friday night when he started from the outside (No. 9) on the front line.
He settled at the rear before Lewis sent him forward with a three-wide burst after a lap.
He moved into the breeze before Waylade (who followed his run) assumed the position outside the pacemaker Bettors Fire 1300m from home.
Waylade burst to the front with 250m to travel and Lovers Delight ran home with great determination to finish second, only a half-length from the winner, who rated a smart 1.55.7.
Ross Olivieri, who trains Dynamite Dude at Oakford, said that he would engage Matt White to replace Lewis in the sulky behind the Victorian-bred six-year-old.
Olivieri said that Dynamite Dude had scored an impressive trial win against moderate opposition at Byford last Sunday week.
Dynamite Dude dashed over the final quarters in 29.1sec. and 28.2sec. and rated 1.593 in beating stablemate Awesome Desire by more than seven lengths.
"First-up from barrier eight I don't see him troubling the scorer," Olivieri said.
"It would be nice for him to be a running on fourth or fifth."
"I plan to give Dynamite Dude about five or six runs before the interdominion series; two starts in August, two in September and two in October."
Olivieri also will be represented by Our Blackbird (Stuart McDonald) and Red Salute (Chris Voak) in the Porter Memorial this week.
He gives Red Salute a place chance from the inside barrier and is hoping that Our Blackbird has some luck after starting out wide from barrier seven.
Our Blackbird has finished second at each of his past four starts after finishing strongly to win from Lovers Delight and Red Salute over 2100m.
Lewis is hoping that Lovers Delight will give him his second success in the Porter Memorial, after scoring with Hilarion Star in 1992.
Lovers Delight is likely to vie for favouritism with Bettors Fire, Classic American and Our Jimmy Johnstone.
Bettors Fire, trained and driven by Kyle Harper, will start from barrier five and Harper is likely to steal a march on the opposition by sending the classy six-year-old to an early lead before dictating terms in front.
Bettors Fire began brilliantly from barrier six last Friday night and set the pace before wilting to fifth behind Waylade over 2536m.
The shorter journey will be in his favour this week.
Our Jimmy Johnstone, another interdominion championship prospect, is in grand form for trainers Greg and Skye Bond and he cannot be underestimated.
Our Jimmy Johnstone impressed when he set the pace and won convincingly from Our Blackbird and This Time Dylan over 2130m last Friday week.
"Drawing the inside of the back row hurts," said Greg Bond.
"It's not an ideal draw and I'll leave the tactics to Colin (Brown).
"I'm happy with his work and am looking forward to the Inters."
Leading trainer Gary Hall sen. has four runners in the Porter Memorial, Classic American, Northview Punter, Crusader Banner and Vapour
He has trained and driven two winners of the feature event --- Make The Rules (1999) and Its Written In The Stars (2000).
Classic American appeals as his best chance.
He will start from the outside (barrier three) on the back line and should be storming home.
He has finished with a powerful burst to win 2503m standing-start events at his past two outings.
Ken Casellas

Ima Connoisseur continues to improve in leaps and bounds and Greg Bond, who trains the three-year-old in partnership with his wife Skye, predicts that the gelding will end a losing sequence of six by outpacing his rivals in the 2130m Gate Bar And Bistro Pathway Pace over 2130m at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
"He's working great and from barrier two he should be leading and I'd be surprised if anything will be able to get over him," Bond said.
The Bonds, who landed a treble with Kinda Black, Baileys Gold and Ohoka Squire at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening, also will be represented in the Pathway Pace by Holy Grail, the only other three-year-old in the race.
Colin Brown will drive Ima Connoisseur and Chris Lewis will handle Holy Grail, who will start from barrier five on the front line.
Holy Grail, whose past four starts have produced two wins and two seconds, has bright prospects of finishing second to Ima Connoisseur.
Ima Connoisseur impressed last Friday night when he started from barrier eight and raced three wide early before working hard in the breeze outside Blissfull Boy and eventually getting to the front on the home turn and fighting on gamely to finish a 2m second to brilliant colt Beaudiene Boaz over 1730m.
Greg Bond is more than pleased with the improvement shown by Ima Connoisseur in recent months.
"I've put the foot down and have been racing him more consistently," he explained.
"He wasn't that well gaited and we just decided to take the approach of racing him weekly where possible and even sometimes twice weekly."
"He was a slow learner and wasn't smooth in his gait."
"Now he's becoming a lot more of a racehorse, with the extra experience, and hopefully he'll head for the Golden Nugget."
"His second to Beaudiene Boaz last week was meritorious."
"I know that Beaudiene Boaz had him covered, but he didn't dog it and fought it out right to the line."
"And two starts before that he ran second to Waylade at Pinjarra, and that's a sign that he's really come on as a horse."
"We'll give him a little break shortly and then bring him back for the four-year-old feature races."
Bond also is confident that Condrieu (Wanneroo Club Pace) and Phoenix Warrior (Garrards Horse And Hound Pace) will prove hard to beat.
Both pacers will be driven by Colin Brown.
Phoenix Warrior is not well drawn at barrier eight on the front line in the 2536m event, but Bond said though he considered the four-year-old was slightly disappointing when fourth behind My Mate Stride as a 2/1 on favourite, he expected him to do better this week.
"The race wasn't run to suit, and driven positively this week I expect him to perform well."
"He's a horse I have a lot of time for."
His chief rival looms as Spectactular, who will be having his first start for five months.
Trained by Gary Hall sen., Spectactular has won once and been placed twice from his first four starts in WA after arriving from New Zealand.
Clint Hall said that Spectacular had had a lot of issues.
" I think that we've got him over his foot problems now, but he could be vulnerable over 2536m first-up. However, he's a class animal."
Condrieu bounced back to his best form last Friday night when he began speedily from barrier five, set a brisk pace and sprinted over the final 800m in 57.2sec. to win easily from Soho Lennon at a 1.55.5 rate over 2130m.
He faces a sterner test this week from the No. 9 barrier.
"There's probably a bit too much speed inside him this week," Bond said.
"I'll leave it up to Colin (Brown) to assess the situation when the gate goes."
"Over the 2536m he'll probably work into the race a bit later on."
Ken Casellas

Im A Peregrine has won only once from his past 16 starts, but reinsman Chris Voak is quite enthusiastic about the five-year-old's prospects in the final of the $25,000 Remote Foods Chandon final at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Victorian-bred Im A Peregrine has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier on the front line in the 2130m event and Voak plans to take full advantage of the gelding's sparkling early pace by denying speedy frontrunner Soho Lennon the opportunity to set the pace after starting from barrier two.
"You saw what he did the last time he led in town," Voak said.
"He started out wide at barrier eight, raced four wide for the first 300m and three wide for the next 300m before taking the lead and racing away to win by five and a half lengths with the ear plugs in, rating 1.58.1 over 2536m"
"I think he will run 1.57 in front over 2130m."
"He grows a leg if he leads, and I think he's got the speed to hold up."
"Plan A will be to lead because he excels in front, and if he does he will be hard to beat."
Im A Peregrine's trainer Ross Olivieri said that the gelding had been racing well, but without luck and agreed with Voak's prediction that he would prove hard to catch if he was able to set the pace.
No doubt Gary Hall jun. will be anxious for Soho Lennon to burst to the front from the No. 2 barrier after the New Zealand-bred gelding was untroubled to jump to the front from the inside barrier and win comfortably over 2130m last Friday night.
Apart from Soho Lennon, Serpentine trainer Gary Hall sen. has sound prospects with Cyamach, who is favourably drawn at barrier three.
Cyamach surged home from seventh at the bell when a neck second to stablemate Vapour over 1730m last Friday week.
That followed his fast-finishing victory over 2130m a week earlier when making his Australian debut.
Condrieu, who set the pace and broke into a gallop approaching the home turn in the Higgins Memorial last Friday night, cannot be underestimated this week.
He quickly regained his pacing action last week and did well to finish a close third to Another Vinnie and Delightful Offer.
Trainers Greg and Skye Bond took Condrieu to the Byford trials on Sunday morning when the five-year-old, driven by Colin Brown, performed satisfactorily and finished a well-beaten third behind Dynamite Dude and Awesome Desire over 2150m.
"He raced in a shadow roll in the trial and he got around without breaking," Brown said.
"I didn't extend him and he went to the line with the ear plugs in."
"So take no notice that he finished only third."
"He raced one-out and one-back and I had him three wide on the final bend, just to make sure he didn't break."
"He's a class horse."
Ken Casellas

Nathans Courage, a typically small son of former champion pacer Courage Under Fire, looks set to give punters a flying start to the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night by winning the opening event, the 2130m Taylor Sulky Repairs Pace.
The two-year-old, prepared at Pinjarra by Michael Brennan, made an auspicious debut when he set the pace and won by almost two lengths from El Hombre, his only rival in a qualifying heat of the Breeders Crown at Gloucester Park on Monday.
He sprinted over the final quarter in a sparkling 27.3sec.
Reinsman Chris Voak was impressed with the gelding, saying: "He's got potential and there's plenty of upside. I think he will have benefitted from his run on Monday."
"He's drawn barrier four on Friday and that's the best of the main chances."
"He showed good gate speed on Monday and I'll be looking to replicate that performance."
"I'll be heading forward to take the lead; that's my game plan and I think that Mouse (Brennan) will agree."
"This is a jump up in grade and will test him."
"But he's up to the challenge."
"He did it quite comfortably on Monday and I didn't pull the ear plugs or really get stuck into him."
"He's got a quick quarter and can run a good half."
"I don't expect too much pressure, but maybe Browny (Colin Brown) might have a crack with Franco Rayner."
Franco Rayner, an effortless all-the-way winner at his Australian debut, over 2185m at Pinjarra on July 13, finished seventh behind Sprinter in the Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park four nights later when he started from the back line and was always well back.
Franco Rayner will start out wide at barrier eight on Friday night.
He dashed over the final 400m in 28.6sec. when an easy winner in a 2150m trial at Byford on Sunday morning.
"He handled Pinjarra a lot better than he handled Gloucester Park," Brown said.
"He's not a big horse, but he wasn't comfortable in the run at Gloucester Park."
"I changed some gear on him for Sunday's trial, but it didn't work."
"However, he still ran home very quickly."
"Now he will have a lugging bit added and hopefully I will have a better steering horse."
Ken Casellas

Ace harness racing reinsman Colin Brown, on target to land his 100th winner of the season at Gloucester Park on Friday night, has bright prospects of driving Delightful Offer to victory in the $35,000 John Higgins Memorial.
Delightful Offer, a richly-talented New Zealand-bred three-year-old, has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of an awkward barrier at No. 6 on the front line in the group 3 2130m feature event.
He has won at seven of his nine starts in Western Australia after winning at three of his 13 starts in New Zealand.
He is in devastating form, having won easily at each of his past four starts --- by a combined margin of 42.4 metres. He is strong and versatile, having won when leading, racing in the breeze and coming from well back with a powerful sprint.
Delightful Offer, owned and trained by Greg and Skye Bond, warmed up for this week's event with a most convincing performance in a heat of the Higgins at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
He began speedily from barrier four, burst to the front after 100m and gave his rivals no chance by sprinting over the final 800m in a brilliant 54.7sec.
He defeated stablemate Ima Connoisseur, who impressed in finishing boldly from eighth at the bell.
Ima Connoisseur then set the pace and fought on grandly when a close second to up-and-coming star Waylade over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
Ima Connoisseur, who will be driven by Nathan Turvey, and Delightful Offer are the only three-year-olds in the final in which the Bond stable holds a powerful hand.
The Bonds will also be represented by Condrieu (barrier two) and Phoenix Warrior (outside of the back line).
Ryan Warwick will drive Condrieu and Lauren Jones has been engaged to handle Phoenix Warrior.
Condrieu, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old, has resumed recently after an absence of ten months in good form, with wins at Pinjarra and Narrogin and second placings at Narrogin and Gloucester Park.
His second to stablemate Jay Bees Grin over 2130m last Friday night was full of merit.
He started out wide from the No. 9 barrier and raced three wide for the first 400m before working in the breeze and fighting on grandly to finish a head behind the pacemaking Jay Bees Grin, who sped over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.4sec.
Condrieu holds a special place in the 20-year history of the Higgins Memorial.
He will become the first pacer to contest the race three times. No other horse has run in this feature more than once.
Interestingly, Condrieu started a hot favourite in the past two Higgins Memorials.
As a three-year-old in 2013 Condrieu was a 6/4 on favourite when he led from barrier three and was overhauled in the final stride by the fast-finishing Pacific Warrior, who scored by a nose.
Then in 2014 Condrieu was favourite at 5/4 from the outside (barrier seven) on the front line.
He had a torrid run and finished ninth, just under five lengths behind the all-the-way winner In The Perfect Storm.
Condrieu raced three wide for the first 300m and was in third place when he was affected by a gear failure, broke and dropped back to the rear before Warwick dashed him forward, three wide for about 250m.
Warwick then eased the gelding back to last and Condrieu was forced to travel six wide when making a run 350m from home. He made no impression on the leaders after such a difficult trip.
Condrieu definitely deserves a change of luck in this event and he certainly cannot be underestimated. Ima Connoisseur also deserves serious consideration.
Eight wins and nine placings from 24 starts underline his consistency.
Four-year-old Phoenix Warrior is in dazzling form after resuming from a spell, with his six starts this preparation producing five wins and a second placing.
He raced three wide for much of the way before winning in good style from Ima Tragedy over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Saturday night.
Brown is enjoying yet another wonderful season and he should bring up his century of winners for the season on Friday night.
Apart from Delightful Offer, he has sound prospects with Holy Grail, Our Jimmy Johnstone and Bungalow Bill.
He has driven 98 winners this season and is in fifth place on the Statewide drivers' premiership table.
Brown has a good record in the Higgins Memorial, having been successful with Valiant Soldier (2003), Money Magnet (2004) and Richard Henry (2005).
Money Magnet and Richard Henry were prepared by Greg Bond.
The only reinsman to have won the race more than Brown is Chris Lewis, who has been successful with Hail The Judge (1997), Our Graedy (1998), Ianalbert (2006) and Sneakyn Down Under (2008).
Lewis has also driven a minor placegetter in the Higgins Memorial on six other occasions.
This year Lewis will drive Khun Ratha for Capel trainer Andrew de Campo.
Khun Ratha is a consistent performer, with eight wins and 16 placings from 34 starts.
Ken Casellas

Our Jimmy Johnstone has been freshened up since finishing an excellent third behind My Hard Copy and Crusader Banner over 1609m at the harness racing meeting at Bunbury five Fridays ago and he gets a good opportunity to end a sequence of four placings when he contests the $22,500 Tom Thompson Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Our Jimmy Johnstone, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will start from barrier five on the front line and Colin Brown is likely to press forward in the early stages to take up a forward position.
Polemarker Little Boy Blue is blessed with sparkling early speed and Bob Mellsop is sure to make the most of the No. 1 barrier by setting the pace.
This should result in Our Jimmy Johnstone racing outside the leader, with Brown relying on his horse to outstay the pacemaker.
However, Our Jimmy Johnstone will need to be at his top to stave off the leading trainer Gary Hall senior's quartet of My Hard Copy (barrier nine), Crusader Banner (seven), Hokonui Ben (No. 2 on the back line) and Northview Punter (three on the back line).
Clint Hall stole a march on his rivals when he got Crusader Banner away brilliantly from the No. 9 barrier two starts ago to quickly take up the running before winning by a length from Soho Lennon at a 1.54.7 rate over 2130m.
The stable could plan similar tactics on Friday night, but it is problematical whether Crusader Banner could burst past Little Boy Blue in the early stages.
My Hard Copy can never be underestimated.
He is sure to settle down at the rear and Clint Hall will be relying on the five-year-old's dazzling finishing sprint.
Ken Casellas

Six wins from ten starts is a clear indication of Sheer Rocknroll's ability and she has the class to overcome her back-line draw in the $100,000 Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Sheer Rocknroll will start from the inside of the back line and looks set to get a perfect run behind the polemarker Topless Beach Girl, a noted frontrunner.
The task then will be for Stuart McDonald to manoeuvre Sheer Rocknroll off the pegs in plenty of time to issue a strong challenge and make a determined bid for victory.
Sheer Rocknroll has won at three of her past four starts for Byford trainer Ross Olivieri and McDonald.
At her latest outing, at Bunbury last Saturday week, Sheer Rocknroll started from the No. 1 barrier and was beaten for early speed before McDonald sent her to the front after 550m.
She dashed over the third quarter of the final mile in 28.1sec. and had to fight doggedly to hold on and defeat Dodolicious by a metre.
Dodolicious, who raced in the breeze, should again fight out the finish this week.
She will start from the outside (barrier three) on the back line and Colin Brown will be keen to settle her ahead of Sheer Rocknroll.
Ken Casellas